Embossed paper-based bakeable tray

ABSTRACT

An embossed paper-based bakeable tray having a bottom surface and sidewalls and an embossed pattern formed in the bottom surface providing a series of closely spaced projections substantially entirely over the bottom surface.

BACKGROUND

Paper-based, oven-ready or bakeable trays are well known in the art forbaking, heating, or reheating foods. Such paper-based bakeable trays arecommonly used by “take-and-bake” pizza companies. Paper-based bakeabletrays are also used by makers of frozen pizza, partial baked “par-bake”and raw pizza dough. These paper-based bakeable trays include barriercoatings such that they are impermeable to liquids and can withstandtypical oven temperatures. While these trays may serve their intendedpurpose, it has been found that when foods are baked in theseconventional trays, the food may not cook uniformly. For example, whenpizza is cooked on these conventional trays, that the pizza crust in themiddle of the tray is often soft and doughy. Accordingly there is a needfor a paper-based bakeable tray that promotes uniform cooking.

Additionally, conventional paper-based bakeable trays have a flat orsubstantially flat bottom. When the cooked food is allowed to sit inthese flat bottom trays, the food often becomes soggy from condensationor from grease or other juices dripping from the food. Accordingly thereis a need for a paper-based bakeable tray that minimizes or prevents thefood baked within the tray from becoming soggy due to condensation orfrom sitting in its own juices while cooking or after cooking.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one type of conventional paper-basedbakeable tray with a flat bottom surface.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another type of conventional paper-basedbakeable tray with raised contour surfaces in the form of a pinwheelpattern on the bottom surface of the tray.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of yet another type of conventionalpaper-based bakeable with raised contour surfaces in the form of anoctagonal pattern on the bottom surface of the tray.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of one embodiment of a paper-based bakeable traysimilar to the conventional paper-based bakeable tray of FIG. 1, butwith an embossing pattern comprising upward projections on the bottomsurface of the tray.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the embossed paper-basedbakeable tray of FIG. 4 as viewed along lines 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of one embodiment of a paper-based bakeable traysimilar to the conventional paper-based bakeable tray of FIG. 1, butwith an embossing pattern comprising upward projections and downwarddepressions on the bottom surface of the tray.

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of the embossed paper-basedbakeable tray of FIG. 6 as viewed along lines 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of one embodiment of a paper-based bakeable traywith raised contour surfaces in the form of a pinwheel as in FIG. 2, butwith an embossing pattern on one side of the bottom of the tray.

FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of the embossed paper-basedbakeable tray of FIG. 8 as viewed along lines 9-9 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view of the embossed paper-basedbakeable tray of FIG. 8 as viewed along lines 10-10 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of one embodiment of a paper-based bakeable traywith raised contour surfaces in the form of a pinwheel as in FIG. 2, butwith an embossing pattern comprising upward projections and downwarddepressions on the bottom surface of the tray.

FIG. 12 is a partial cross-sectional view of the embossed paper-basedbakeable tray of FIG. 11 as viewed along lines 12-12 of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a partial cross-sectional view of the embossed paper-basedbakeable tray of FIG. 11 as viewed along lines 13-13 of FIG. 11.

FIG. 14 is a plan view of one embodiment of a paper-based bakeable traywith raised contour surfaces in the form of an octagonal pattern as inFIG. 3, but with an embossing pattern on one side of the bottom of thetray.

FIG. 15 is a partial cross-sectional view of the embossed paper-basedbakeable tray of FIG. 14 as viewed along lines 15-15 of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a partial cross-sectional view of the embossed paper-basedbakeable tray of FIG. 14 as viewed along lines 16-16 of FIG. 14.

FIG. 17 is a plan view of one embodiment of a paper-based bakeable traywith raised contour surfaces in the form of an octagonal pattern as inFIG. 3, but with an embossing pattern comprising upward projections anddownward depressions on the bottom surface of the tray.

FIG. 18 is a partial cross-sectional view of the embossed paper-basedbakeable tray of FIG. 17 as viewed along lines 18-18 of FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is a partial cross-sectional view of the embossed paper-basedbakeable tray of FIG. 17 as viewed along lines 19-19 of FIG. 17.

FIG. 20 is a plan view of one embodiment of a paper-based bakeable traywith raised contour surfaces in the form of a pinwheel as in FIG. 8, butwith an embossing pattern on one side of the bottom of the tray andlocated only between the contour surfaces.

FIG. 21 is a partial cross-sectional view of the embossed paper-basedbakeable tray of FIG. 20 as viewed along lines 21-21 of FIG. 20

FIG. 22 is a partial cross-sectional view of the embossed paper-basedbakeable tray of FIG. 20 as viewed along lines 22-22 of FIG. 20.

DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designateidentical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1illustrates a conventional paper-based bakeable tray 10 having a bottomsurface 12 and sidewalls 14. The sidewalls may include a peripheral lip16. FIG. 2 illustrates a conventional paper-based bakeable tray 10having raised contour surfaces 20 formed in the bottom surface 12 in theform of a pinwheel pattern. FIG. 3 illustrates a conventionalpaper-based bakeable tray 10 having raised contour surfaces 20 formed inthe bottom surface 12 in the form of a an octagonal pattern. Theconventional paper-based trays 10 are typically formed using athermoforming process. As recognized and understood by those of skill inthe art, barrier coatings or barrier materials may be applied to thepaper-based material, before, during or after the thermoforming processor otherwise incorporated into the paper-based material such that thetrays are impermeable to liquids and/or to withstand typical oventemperatures.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embossed paper-based bakeable tray 100 similar tothe conventional paper-based bakeable tray 10 of FIG. 1. The embossedpaper-based bakeable tray 100 has a bottom surface 112 and sidewalls114. The sidewalls 114 may include a peripheral lip 116. However, unlikethe conventional tray 10, the embossed tray 100 includes an embossedpattern 102 formed in the bottom surface 112 of the tray. FIG. 5 is apartial cross-sectional view of the tray 100 as viewed along lines 5-5of FIG. 4. As used herein, the term “embossed pattern” should beunderstood to include any type of stamping, imprinting, pressing orforming process that creates a series of closely spaced intermittentprojections as opposed to raised contour surfaces 20 as depicted inFIGS. 2 and 3.

FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment of an embossed paper-basedbakeable tray 200 similar to the conventional paper-based tray 10 ofFIG. 1, but with an embossed pattern 202 formed in the bottom surface212 of the tray and wherein the embossed pattern 202 comprises bothupward and downward projections 204. The embossed paper-based bakeabletray 200 has sidewalls 214 which may include a peripheral lip 216. FIG.7 is a partial cross-sectional view of the embossed tray 200 as viewedalong lines 7-7 of FIG. 6 showing the embossing pattern 202 comprisingboth the upward and downward projections 204.

FIG. 8 illustrates an alternative embodiment of an embossed paper-basedbakeable tray 300 similar to the conventional paper-based tray 10 ofFIG. 2 having raised contour surfaces 20 in the form of a pinwheel, butwith an embossed pattern 302 formed in the bottom surface 312 of thetray and wherein the embossed pattern 302 comprises upward projections304. The embossed paper-based bakeable tray 300 has sidewalls 314 whichmay include a peripheral lip 316. FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectionalview of the embossed tray 300 as viewed along lines 9-9 of FIG. 8. FIG.10 is a partial cross-sectional view of the embossed tray 300 as viewedalong lines 10-10 of FIG. 8 illustrating the cross-sectional view of oneof the raised contour surfaces 20 of the pinwheel pattern. Asillustrated, the raised contour surfaces 20 of the pinwheel patterninclude the embossed pattern 302, but it should be appreciated that, ifdesired, the embossed pattern 302 may only be provided between theraised contour surfaces 20. An embodiment of this configuration with theembossed pattern 302 existing only between the raised contour surfaces20 is illustrated in FIG. 20. Similarly, a cross-sectional view isillustrated in FIG. 21, as viewed along lines 21-21 of FIG. 20.

FIG. 11 illustrates an alternative embodiment of an embossed paper-basedbakeable tray 400 similar to the conventional paper-based tray 10 ofFIG. 2 having raised contour surfaces 20 in the form of a pinwheel, butwith an embossed pattern 402 formed in the bottom surface 412 of thetray and wherein the embossed pattern 402 comprises both upward anddownward projections 404. The embossed paper-based bakeable tray 400 hassidewalls 414 which may include a peripheral lip 416. FIG. 12 is apartial cross-sectional view of the embossed tray 400 as viewed alonglines 12-12 of FIG. 11. FIG. 13 is a partial cross-sectional view of theembossed tray 400 as viewed along lines 13-13 of FIG. 11 illustratingthe cross-sectional view of one of the raised contour surfaces 20 of thepinwheel pattern. As illustrated, the raised contour surfaces 20 of thepinwheel pattern include the embossed pattern 402, but it should beappreciated that, if desired, the embossed pattern 402 may only beprovided between the raised contour surfaces 20.

FIG. 14 illustrates an alternative embodiment of an embossed paper-basedbakeable tray 500 similar to the conventional paper-based tray 10 ofFIG. 3 having raised contour surfaces 20 in the form of an octagonalpattern, but with an embossed pattern 502 formed in the bottom surface512 of the tray and wherein the embossed pattern 502 comprises upwardprojections 504. The embossed paper-based bakeable tray 500 hassidewalls 514 which may include a peripheral lip 516. FIG. 15 is apartial cross-sectional view of the embossed tray 500 as viewed alonglines 15-15 of FIG. 14. FIG. 16 is a partial cross-sectional view of theembossed tray 500 as viewed along lines 16-16 of FIG. 14 illustratingthe cross-sectional view of one of the raised contour surfaces 20 of theoctagonal pattern. As illustrated, the raised contour surface 20 of theoctagonal pattern includes the embossed pattern 502, but it should beappreciated that, if desired, the embossed pattern 502 may only beprovided between the raised contour surfaces 20.

FIG. 17 illustrates a an alternative embodiment of an embossedpaper-based bakeable tray 600 similar to the conventional paper-basedtray 10 of FIG. 3 having raised contour surfaces 20 in the form of anoctagonal pattern, but with an embossed pattern 602 formed in the bottomsurface 612 of the tray and wherein the embossing pattern 602 comprisesboth upward and downward projections 604. The embossed paper-basedbakeable tray 600 has sidewalls 614 which may include a peripheral lip616. FIG. 18 is a partial cross-sectional view of the embossed tray 600as viewed along lines 18-18 of FIG. 17. FIG. 19 is a partialcross-sectional view of the embossed tray 600 as viewed along lines19-19 of FIG. 17 illustrating the cross-sectional view of one of theraised contour surfaces 20 of the octagonal pattern. As illustrated, theraised contour surface 20 of the octagonal pattern includes the embossedpattern 602, but it should be appreciated that, if desired, the embossedpattern 602 may only be provided between the raised contour surfaces 20.

Each of the embossed paper-based bakeable trays 100, 200, 300, 400, 500,600 may be formed in the same manner using the same type ofthermoforming press used to produce conventional paperboard trays 10 butwith the desired embossing pattern formed in the face of the male and/orfemale dies used in the thermoforming press. The embossed trays may beused for a number of purposes and may take any desired shape. Forexample, rather than being a circular tray as shown, the tray may berectangular or triangular or it may take the shape of the food product.

The embossing patterns 102, 202, 302, 402, 502, 602 comprises a seriesof closely spaced projections 104, 204, 304, 404, 504, 604 formed intothe bottom surface 112, 212, 312, 412, 512, 612 of the paper-basedembossed trays 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600. The projections may be anysuitable configuration, size and spacing. As an example, the projectionsmay have a diameter of about 3/16 inch, and a height range between about0.010 to about 0.040 inches, with a center-to-center spacing of about ½inch. It should be appreciated, however, that the projections need notbe round or circular and may have any desired size or shape, includingany polygonal shape with widths and lengths or diameters between about ⅛inch to about 1 inch, and may be spaced at distances ranging from about⅜ inch to about 2 inches depending on the size of the projections.

The projections 104, 204, 304, 404, 504, 604 serve to intermittentlysupport the food product thereby allowing air circulation below the foodproduct so the food does not become soggy due to the collection ofcondensation, drippings or juices from the food as it is being cooked orafter cooking. The projections also provide an air space which minimizesheat transfer via conduction thereby keeping the food warmer for alonger period of time. With the embossed trays having both upward anddownward projections, the downward projections or depressions may permitadditional air circulation and serve as small wells in whichcondensation, food juices or drippings are collected.

It has been found that paper-based bakeable trays having an embossingpatterns as described herein improves the quality of certain foods whenreheating or baking, due to the projections creating an air space andallowing more air circulation below the food. For example it has beenfound that if a conventional flat (non-embossed) paper-based bakeabletray having a flat bottom surface as in FIG. 1 is formed with anembossing pattern as described herein, and if this embossed trays arethen used to bake pizza, the resulting crust is more uniformly cooked,is crispier and has a more uniform golden-brown crust. It was also foundthat if a black colored, conventional flat (non-embossed) paper basedbakeable tray such as illustrated in FIG. 1 is formed with an embossingpattern as described herein so as to create a black embossed paperboardtray, the resulting crust is even crispier and more golden-brown.

The embossed trays 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 may be made of premiumgrade solid bleached sulfate (SBS) or any other suitable type of paper,paperboard, cardstock or cardboard material or any other type ofpulp-based, fiber-based or cellulose-based material, whether from wood,other plant or natural material or from synthetic material.

Depending on the application and intended use of the embossed trays 100,200, 300, 400, 500, 600 and the type of food it is intended to contact,the embossed trays may include appropriate barrier coatings as wellknown to those of skill in the art such that the embossed trays aresuitable for baking, heating, or reheating foods. Additionally, or inthe alternative, the embossed trays may include barrier coatings suchthat the embossed trays are freezer-to-oven ready and/or impermeable toliquids.

The foregoing description is presented to enable one of ordinary skillin the art to make and use the invention and is provided in the contextof a patent application and its requirements. Various modifications tothe embodiments of the apparatus and the general principles and featuresdescribed herein will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art.Thus, the present invention is not to be limited to the embodimentsdescribed above and illustrated in the drawing figures, but is to beaccorded the widest scope consistent with the spirit and scope of theappended claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An embossed paper-based bakeable tray forbaking a food product, comprising: a tray formed of paper-based materialand capable of withstand oven temperatures between about 150 degreesFahrenheit and about 500 degrees Fahrenheit, said tray including: abottom area with an upper surface plane and a lower surface plane; acontinuous peripheral sidewall disposed around said bottom area andextending a distance upwardly from said bottom area thereby defining atray volume in which the food product is received; an embossed patternformed in said bottom area, said embossed pattern including: (i) aplurality of upper projections extending upwardly from said uppersurface plane such that an uppermost end of said upper projections forman intermittent upper support surface above said upper surface plane,whereby said intermittent upper support surface supports the foodproduct above said upper surface plane so as to provide an air spacebetween an underside of the food product and said upper surface plane;(ii) a plurality of downward projections extending downwardly from saidupper surface plane thereby forming a plurality of reservoirs below saidupper surface plane and the food product for collecting liquid which maydrip from the food product, said plurality of downward projections alsoextending downward from said lower surface plane such that a lowermostend of said downward projections form an intermittent lower supportsurface below said lower surface plane, whereby said intermittent lowersupport surface provides an air space allowing for air circulationbetween said lower surface plane and a support surface on which saidtray is placed.
 2. The embossed paper-based bakeable tray of claim 1,wherein said plurality of upper projections extend about 0.01 to about0.04 inches above said upper surface plane.
 3. The embossed paper-basedbakeable tray of claim 1, and wherein said plurality of downwardprojections extend about 0.01 inches to about 0.04 inches below saidlower surface plane.
 4. The embossed paper-based bakeable tray of claim1, wherein said plurality of upper projections extend about 0.01 toabout 0.04 inches above said upper surface plane and wherein saidplurality of downward projections extend about 0.01 inches to about 0.04inches below said lower surface plane.
 5. The embossed paper-basedbakeable tray of claim 1, wherein said tray has a shape selected fromthe group consisting of a circle, a rectangle, a triangle.
 6. Theembossed paper-based bakeable tray of claim 1, wherein said tray has ashape generally in the shape of the food product received therein. 7.The embossed paper-based bakeable tray of claim 1, wherein said trayfurther includes a barrier coating such that the tray is impermeable tothe liquid collected in the reservoirs.
 8. The embossed paper-basedbakeable tray of claim 1, wherein said tray has a black color.
 9. Theembossed paper-based bakeable tray of claim 1, wherein said paper-basedmaterial is plant material.
 10. The embossed paper-based bakeable trayof claim 9, wherein said plant material is premium grade solid bleachedsulfate (SBS) paper.